Skip to main content


GP Insights

Last Updated: Friday, 08 August 2025

Here you can read articles and videos created by our doctors which provides some insight into topical health issues and news.

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Listen to Drs Baxter & Widnall talk about why it's important to know what your blood pressure is, what it could mean if it's high.

Reducing cholesterol with statins and other medication

Why have I been offered a statin, and what should my cholesterol be?

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease the target is to reduce the person's non-HDL cholesterol by at least 40%. 
You might have been offered treatment for one of the following reasons:
  • your calculated risk of a cardiovascular event (such as a heart attack or stroke) in the next 10 years is greater than 10%,
  • because you have a pre-existing medical condition such as
    • chronic kidney disease (CKD)
    • peripheral vascular disease (PVD),
    • coronary artery disease (CAD), or
    • a history of a prior stroke or mini-stroke (transient ischaemic attack, or TIA)

Primary prevention is the aim of reducing the risk of a cardiovascular event (for example, a heart attack or a stroke) in people who have never previously had one. Secondary prevention is reducing the risk of a further event in somebody who has already had an event.

Non-HDL cholesterol ("bad cholesterol") is considered a "bad cholesterol" because it can cause the build-up of fatty material in your arteries. In absolute numbers, less than 4.0mmol/L is considered a healthy level, but after a heart attack or stroke, below 2.6mmol/L is a healthy level. However, recognising that lots of things can affect a person's cholesterol level, rather than just aim for less than 4.0 for everyone, the recommendation is that treatment should achieve a 40% reduction from your starting level.

Calculating your target is easy. Have a look on your NHS App at your investigation results find the figure for your non-HDL cholesterol. Put that number into your phone's calculator, and multiply by 0.6. Next time we check your cholesterol after starting a statin we want the new level to be less than that number.

Example

  • Before treatment non-HDL cholesterol is 5.6 mmol/L
  • 5.8 * 0.6 = 3.36
  • Target non-HDL cholesterol is less than 3.36 mmol/L

What if it isn't below that target?

If  the desired reduction has not been achieved with the starting dose of medication and all of your lifestyle changes (these are still really important!) then we can gradually increase the dose of medication to improve things further.

You can read more about this topic on the British Heart Foundation website.

Weight-loss injections like Mounjaro

Thinking About Weight Loss Medication?

We understand that many people are interested in new medications like Mounjaro (tirzepatide) to help with weight loss. These medicines belong to a group called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which were originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes.
Some of these medications have now been approved for weight loss in certain people. However, they are not currently available on the NHS in our area (Cheshire and Merseyside). When they do become available they will only be prescribed through specialist weight management services. These services have strict eligibility criteria, and access is limited.
At the moment, GPs and practice nurses cannot prescribe Mounjaro or similar medications for weight loss, and they are not likely to be able to do so in the near future either.
We understand this may be frustrating, and we’re here to support you. If you're looking to lose weight, there are other NHS-supported options that may be available to you. For example:
Liverpool Obesity Support Service (Aintree LOSS)
This is available for adults meeting the following criteria:
  • BMI 50+
  • or BMI 35+ AND need to lose weight for:
    • essential surgery
    • fertility treatment or
    • cancer treatment

The team includes GPs with a special interest in obesity, dietitians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and health care support workers.

The team are specially trained to address lifestyle change whilst considering the health problems associated with obesity.

Bariatric surgery is discussed with patients who meet the preliminary criteria and those who wish to consider surgery will be offered support to help them to access this. Aintree LOSS is currently not able to offer GLP1 Injectable Weight Loss medications.

 

 

NHS Digital Weight Management programme
This is available for adults meeting the following criteria:
  • BMI >30 (or >27.5 for people from black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds)
  • Have diabetes, or high blood pressure, or both
  • Have a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access.

 

 

If you don't meet these criteria, then you may still benefit from the advice available on the NHS Better Health website.

 

You can find more information and support here:
If you have questions or would like to talk about your options, please contact the practice.